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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rock · rush · bear · perch · stem · mate · hand · fan

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bear — the animal
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bear — the animal
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rush — hurry
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. hand — in cards
  12. mate — a partner
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. rock — music
  15. mate — a friend
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rock — a stone
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. stem — to come from
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hand — help
  24. rock — to move gently

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com